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Application Process

Whether you’re choosing a neighborhood school outside your boundary area or specialized school, PSD’s School Choice program allows you to select the school that best fits your child’s educational needs, on a space available basis. Round-trip transportation is the responsibility of the parents for School Choice students.

Harris Bilingual Elementary and Tavelli Elementary have Title I Public School Choice eligibility.

Application Process

1. Learn how the process works, important dates, deadlines and when families will be contacted about their application:

2. Complete the online application.  If your child is currently enrolled in PSD, please have his/her student ID number available when you complete the application.  If you do not have your student's ID number, please contact your child's school.  Save the confirmation number you receive at the end of the application process, this number will allow you to update or edit the application and is your proof of submission.

3.  If you have a question about your application or need to check the status of your child's application, contact the school(s) you applied to have your child attend.

4.  To remove a school you’ve selected on the school choice application, you may update the application by selecting the online school choice application link.  Enter your student’s last name and the confirmation number you received when you submitted the application previously, and then uncheck the school(s) you selected.  The confirmation number will stay the same even if you change/edit the school choice application.

If you miss the first consideration deadline:
School Choice Applications may be submitted until the first day of class at the beginning of the school year of requested enrollment. If you apply after the first consideration deadline, you may want to contact the school and let them know you have submitted an application in the system (this is not required, but may assist in the processing of the application).

Once a school year begins, open enrollment (school choice) for that school year is over. Applying to a school other than your neighborhood school is considered a transfer and must be approved by either the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Schools or Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools. You may begin the school transfer process by completing the School Transfer Request   Also available in Spanish.  For elementary school choice questions, please call (970) 490-3302; for secondary school choice questions, please call (970) 490-3201; and for technical assistance with the online application please call (970) 490-3020.

School Choice Rules to Remember

  1. Applications are not considered on a first-come-first-serve basis; they are considered based on space available.
  2. Once you are accepted to a school, you are eligible to continue through all grades offered. You do not have to reapply each year.
  3. During the first consideration period, if the number of applications exceeds the space available, applications are entered into an automated lottery based on the priority listed below.
  4. Parents must register students entering kindergarten at their neighborhood school, even if an application is pending for choice/open enrollment.

School Choice Application Priority

Order of Priority – For each grade level where the number of choice/open enrollment applicants exceeds the number of spaces available, the determination of space availability for each applicant shall be made based on the following order of priority:

  1. Students who reside within the attendance area of the neighborhood school they wish to attend.
  2. Students currently enrolled in the school and students who wish to continue attending a program that spans different grade levels and schools.
  3. New student applicants who reside within the District who are siblings of a student that is currently enrolled in the school and will be attending at the same time as the applicant, and who live at the same residence as the currently enrolled student.
  4. New student applicants who reside within the District and whose parent/guardian is employed at the school.
  5. New student applicants who reside within the District and are not siblings of a currently enrolled student living at the same residence or the child of a school employee.
  6. New student applicants who reside outside of the District who are siblings of a student that is currently enrolled in the school and will be attending at the same time as the applicant, and who live at the same residence as the currently enrolled student.
  7. New student applicants who reside outside of the District and whose parent/guardian is employed at the school.
  8. New student applicants who reside outside of the District and are not siblings of a currently enrolled student living at the same residence or the child of a school employee.

School Choice Athletic Rule

Once athletes begin practice at the high school as ninth graders, they must remain at that high school in order to maintain full varsity eligibility. If sometime during their high school career student athletes choose to return to their neighborhood high school, they will not be eligible to participate in 50% of varsity competition for the first year they return to their neighborhood school.

Information for 8th grade School Choice student athletes and for athletes transferring to a new school: Athletic Eligibility & Colorado High School Athletic Transfer Rule